Rebekah: ‘I won’t let trolls spoil my pregnancy’
Rebekah Vardy opens up about expecting her fifth child, dealing with cruel trolls, and battling through tough times
With four children and another on the way, Rebekah Vardy would be forgiven for feeling exhausted, but as she arrives at our photo shoot, she is positively glowing. The star – who has been married to footballer Jamie Vardy since 2016 and is mum to Sophia, four, and Finley, two, with the Leicester City striker, as well as Taylor, nine, and Megan, 14, from previous relationships – is expecting her fifth child in January. And though she admits life is about to get even more hectic, she’s delighted to be adding to her brood.
Rebekah, 37, tells Closer, “Jamie and I made a decision to start trying for another baby once Finley started nursery. It took us a while to fall pregnant this time, which I didn’t expect, so when we found out, we were thrilled. Big families aren’t for everyone, but I just love being a mum and having kids around. I’m a little apprehensive, because I had a difficult birth with Finley – but I’ve been feeling well so far.
“I’ve been up since 5.30 this morning getting the kids fed and dressed for school. People think I’ve got ten nannies and a night nurse, but that’s not the case,” she laughs, shaking her head. “I do the school run without make-up on just like any other mum.”
But, while she’s full of energy, Rebekah admits not every aspect of her pregnancy has been plain sailing. Over the years, she’s been open about the severe trolling she’s faced from bullies who have targeted her body, her marriage and, horrifyingly, even her children. And after images emerged of her in a bikini while holidaying in Dubai last month, she’s faced a barrage of abuse over her growing bump.
She explains, “I’ve been body-shamed throughout this pregnancy, since the day I announced it. People say disgusting things like, ‘Your bump’s too big, too small, too lumpy, it’s fake, or your arse is huge’. Some even say I’ve had a really bad lipo job, when actually it’s just my stomach muscles stretching. It’s ridiculous and not normal. Other times, they’ll say I’m only with Jamie for money, or they’ll make fun of my skin colour [Rebekah has Portuguese heritage]. It’s sickening.”
SUPER-SLIM CELEBRITIES
But the star, who appeared on I’m A Celeb! in 2017 – admits she’s learned to shake off other people’s opinions. “I’m confident with my own shell, and it takes a lot to get through it. When I was younger I wanted to fight the world, but now I’m older and wiser, I’d never take on the opinion of a stranger or let them spoil my pregnancy. I’ve been through too much in life to allow this to get to me.”
After giving birth to Finley in 2017, Rebekah was praised for showing off her “mum tum” when she stripped down to her underwear for a photo shoot. And the straight-talking star has no qualms over calling out super-slim celebrity mums who rush back into shape, and insists she won’t be doing the same.
“I get so fed up seeing these perfect celeb mums giving birth and getting their sixpacks back,” she says. “It just doesn’t portray the right body image, it’s not realistic and it’s not fair that all mums should be put under that pressure. It’s bulls**t, especially when so many photos have been Photoshopped.”
Rebekah – who is keeping up gentle pregnancy yoga – is refreshingly honest about her body. “My t*ts have become absolutely huge, I’ve got stretch marks and cellulite, but I’m embracing it. I don’t weigh myself and I’m not afraid of putting weight on. I’m not ashamed to admit
I’ve had surgery – I’ve had boob jobs, but my first one was because of insecurities brought on by an ex-partner. I’m not against surgery, but I’d advise anyone to think long and hard about it.”
POST-NATAL DEPRESSION
Since being in the limelight, the star has been open about the hardships she’s endured. She was sexually abused for three years from the age of 12, and was made homeless aged 15 after falling out with her family. Growing up she was caught in a cycle of bad relationships and suffered post-natal depression after the birth of her second child, which was so severe she considered suicide. While she hasn’t experienced depression since, she says she wouldn’t think twice about seeking medical intervention if she needed to.
She candidly explains, “I have a strong
belief my post-natal depression was linked to what I’d been through in my past.
Until that point, I hadn’t spoken about it, because I simply didn’t trust anyone.
The relationship I was in at the time had a huge impact on my mental health – it was so wrong and manipulative.
“I hadn’t heard of post-natal depression and I’d think, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ My ex-partner would say, ‘You’re not right, you’re a psycho.’ I would cry every day over the smallest thing. I remember looking at my kids and thinking, ‘If I don’t do something for myself now, I don’t know what’s going to happen.’ I sought help for them, because I wanted to make sure their mum was around. As soon as I saw my doctor, they could instantly see that I was depressed.”
FIERY
“A lot of women think it’s their fault, which isn’t true. If I suffered with depression again, I wouldn’t be afraid to ask for help.”
Rebekah was prescribed a course of antidepressants as well as cognitive behavioural therapy, but she believes finding stability with Jamie was key to her happiness. She says, “When I first met Jamie, I was fiery and irate. I was p****d off with the world and felt like I’d been dealt all the rough cards in life, but he calmed me down. Now I look at life with a different perspective. I don’t recognise the person I used to be, and I don’t dwell on the past any more, there are so many positives in my life.”
By Neeru Sharma l Rebekah is supporting My Expert Midwife’s #MyBodyMyBump campaign to end bump shaming
‘I’m not afraid of putting weight on’